Magic Millions Opens With Strong Session

Market indicators were up across the board Jan. 8 on the first day at Austalia's Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale, where a colt and a filly tied for the top price of $450,000 ($402,433 in United States funds).

The More Than Ready colt and the Fastnet Rock filly helped propel financials to an 11.7% rise in total receipts and a 10% gain in average, while median ballooned 28.6%.

Magic Millions reported 137 horses sold on day one for an aggregate $19,400,000 ($17,347,299), an average of $141,506 ($126,541). The median price was $130,000 ($116,306).

"They are a beautiful set of numbers; they really are," Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox said. "To be at 80% clearance is outstanding on day one."

Craig Rounsefell's Boomer Bloodstock secured Rothwell Park's More Than Ready colt early in the sale. The bay colt is the first foal out of stakes winner Ringa Ringa Rosie, who was runner-up in the 2010 T. J. Smith Stakes (Aus-I).

"To me he is just so well developed," Rounsefell said. "He really is like a man among the boys.

"He's very forward. He's so well balanced and he's correct. Obviously he has the pedigree to back it up. His mother was a great runner and it's a great family.

"For a first foal he's so strong and very forward. He's such an exciting prospect."

Sire More Than Ready stands the Northern Hemisphere season at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky., and in Australia for Vinery.

Gerry Harvey's Baramul Stud offered the Fastnet Rock filly, who is out of a half sister to 2004 W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-I) victor and prominent sire Savabeel. She was bought by Chris Waller, who was bidding of behalf of longtime client C. C. Lai of New Zealand.

The filly's dam, Zavana, is a winning daughter of Encosta de Lago out of Australian and New Zealand group I winner Savannah Success, who also produced group I-placed Arlington. The co-session topper is Zavana's second foal.

"She's from Gerry Harvey's draft and he brings his best horses to the Magic Millions," Waller said. "It's a great pedigree going back to Arlington and Savabeel and she's obviously by Fastnet Rock, who needs no introduction.

"She'll do it on the racetrack herself but if she didn't, she's obviously got great value there as well."

Fastnet Rock stands for Coolmore in Australia and Ireland.

Anthony Cavanagh went to the day's second highest price of $440,000 ($393,559) for an I Am Invincible filly out of winning Zeditave mare Zelady.

Consigned by Yarraman Park Stud, agent, the filly is a half sister to five winners from as many to race, including group III winner Excites Zelady.

Yarraman Park Stud stands Australia's current leading first-crop sire I Am Invincible, a son of Invincible Spirit.

The second session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale continues Jan. 9 at the Gold Coast Sales Complex in Queensland, starting at 11 a.m. local time.